Verse-by-Verse Bible CommentaryPsalms 67:1
God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us-- Selah. Jump to: Clarke Commentary • Barne's Notes • Coffman Commentaries • Gill's Exposition • Geneva Study Bible • Commentary Critical and Explanatory • Calvin's Commentary • Scofield's Notes • Trapp's Commentary • Coke's Commentary • Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary • Poole's Annotations • Whedon's Commentary • Haydock's Catholic Commentary • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes • Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged • Ellicott's Commentary • Treasury of Knowledge Other Authors
Adam Clarke CommentaryGod be merciful unto us - Show the Jewish people thy mercy, bless them in their bodies and souls and give a full evidence of thy approbation. This is nearly the same form of blessing as that used Numbers 6:25; (note), where see the notes. Copyright Statement Bibliography Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole BibleGod be merciful unto us, and bless us - There is, perhaps (as Prof. Alexander suggests), an allusion, in the language used here, to the sacerdotal benediction in Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” The prayer is that God would bestow upon his people the blessing implied in the form of benediction which he had directed the ministers of his religion to use. The first cry is, of course, for mercy or favor. The beginning of all blessings to mankind is the favor or mercy of God. There is no higher blessing than his favor; there is none that comes from him which should not be regarded as mercy. And cause his face to shine upon us - Margin, With us. That is, among us. It is an invocation of his presence and favor. On the phrase “cause his face to shine,” see the notes at Psalm 4:6. Copyright Statement Bibliography Coffman's Commentaries on the BiblePSALM 67 PROPHECY OF THE SALVATION OF THE GENTILES SUPERSCRIPTION: FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIAN; ON STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. A PSALM; A SONG. This is another of the psalms designated in the superscriptions as both "A Psalm," and "A Song." We have noticed a definite universalism in all of them; and here, we have an unequivocal prophecy of the conversion of Gentiles. We are absolutely astounded that so many of the scholars we have consulted seem totally unaware of this. Just note what is here stated: John Gill's Exposition of the Whole BibleGod be merciful unto us, and bless us,.... That is, God, of his unmerited mercy, of his rich grace and free favour, bless us with the coming of his Son, the promised seed, in whom all nations are to be blessed; and with the blessings of peace, pardon, and righteousness in him; all which with him spring from the tender mercy of God, the riches of his grace, and his great love; than which nothing could be more desirable to the Old Testament saints, who were shut up under the law, until faith came; and though children, they differed nothing from servants, being in a state and under a spirit of bondage: for the psalmist seems to represent the whole church under that dispensation: some understand the words as a prophecy, expressing the certainty of what would be; and, as the words may be rendered, "God will be merciful", or "gracious to us and cause his face to shine upon us; that is, grant his gracious presence, and the discoveries of his love; that he would favour with communion with himself through Christ, and a greater knowledge of him in him; or that he would cause him, who is his face, his image, the brightness of his glory, to appear and shine forth; the great light, the sun of righteousness, and dayspring from on high, that was to arise and shine upon the people of God. The Targum is, "and cause the splendour of his face to shine with us always;' there seems to be some reference to the high priest's form of blessing in Numbers 6:24. Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2. Copyright Statement Bibliography Geneva Study Bible"To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song." God be merciful unto us, and bless us; [and] a cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.(a) That is, move our hearts with his Holy Spirit, that we may feel his favour toward us. Copyright Statement Bibliography Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole BiblePsalm 67:1-7. A prayer that, by God‘s blessing on His people, His salvation and praise may be extended over the earth. cause his face to shine — show us favor (Numbers 6:24, Numbers 6:25; Psalm 31:16). Copyright Statement Bibliography Calvin's Commentary on the Bible1God be merciful unto us, and bless us The psalm contains a prediction of Christ’s kingdom, under which the whole world was to be adopted into a privileged relationship with God; but the Psalmist begins by praying for the Divine blessing, particularly upon the Jews. They were the first-born, (Exodus 4:22,) and the blessing was to terminate upon them first, and then go out to all the surrounding nations. I have used the imperative mood throughout the psalm, as other translators have done, although the future tense, which is that employed in the Hebrew, would suit sufficiently well, and the passage might be understood as encouraging the minds of the Lord’s people to trust in the continuance and increase of the Divine favor. The words, however, are generally construed in the form of a prayer, and I merely threw out this as a suggestion. Speaking, as the Psalmist does, of those who belonged to the Church of God, and not of those who were without, it is noticeable that yet he traces all the blessings they received to God’s free favor; and from this we may learn, that so long as we are here, we owe our happiness, our success, and prosperity, entirely to the same cause. This being the case, how shall any think to anticipate his goodness by merits of their own? The light of God’s countenance may refer either to the sense of his love shed abroad in our hearts, or to the actual manifestation of it without, as, on the other hand, his face may be said to be clouded, when he strikes terrors into our conscience on account of our sins, or withdraws the outward marks of his favor. Copyright Statement Bibliography Scofield's Reference NotesNeginoth Neginoth, stringed instruments. Copyright Statement Bibliography John Trapp Complete CommentaryPsalms 67:1 « To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song. » God be merciful unto us, and bless us; [and] cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. Ver. 1. God be merciful unto us] sc. In sending his Son, and calling his elect, both among Jews and Gentries, to the participation of that gift, John 4:10; that benefit, 1 Timothy 6:2.
And bless us] Specially with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 1:3.
And cause his face to shine upon us] Giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 4:6, who is the brightness (or glittering refulgency, απαυγασμα) of his Father’s glory and the express image of his person, Hebrews 1:3, the dayspring from on high, Luke 1:78, Sereno suo vultu nos irradiet (Beza). In this prayer the psalmist plainly alludeth to that blessing pronounced upon the people by the high priest, Numbers 6:23-27, and showeth that all cometh from Christ, the true Aaron, the High Priest of the new covenant. Copyright Statement Bibliography Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy BiblePsalms 67. A prayer for the enlargement of God's kingdom, to the joy of the people, and to the increase of God's blessings. To the chief musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. Title. שׁיר מזמור בנגינת למנצח lamnatseach bingiinoth mizmor shiir.— We read, 2 Samuel 6:17-18 that when David had brought the ark to Jerusalem, he offered, burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, as promised in the foregoing psalm, Psalms 66:13. And as soon as he had offered them, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord: i.e. as Bishop Patrick supposes, he pronounced this psalm, wherein he manifestly imitates that form of blessing which the priests were appointed to use on solemn occasions, Numbers 6:24; Numbers 6:27. See Psalms 4:6. Copyright Statement Bibliography Hawker's Poor Man's CommentaryCONTENTS The church rejoices in the love and favour of her Lord, and desires that the same blessings she enjoys in her beloved, may be the happy portion of both Jew and Gentile. To the chief musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. Psalms 67:1 Is not this prayer an answer of faith to the blessed precept of Jehovah given to Aaron the high-priest? Numbers 6:22, etc. If we read this scripture with reference to this injunction, nothing can be more interesting, for then it becomes the exercise of faith on God's promises in Christ. It is as if the church with one voice should say, Hath the Lord Jehovah appointed our almighty Aaron to bless his people? Is Jesus still exercising this high-priestly office? Doth God our Father bless and keep his people? Doth God the Son make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us? And doth God the Holy Ghost lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace? Then, Lord, hear thy church while exercising faith in these promises, and do thou be merciful to us; and bless us, and do as thou hast said. Copyright Statement Bibliography Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy BiblePSALM 67 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm contains a prayer for the church of Israel, as also for the Gentile world, whose conversion he prophetically describes. The church prayeth for the enlargement of the kingdom of God, Psalms 67:1,2, to the joy of the nations, Psalms 67:3-5; and for the increase of spiritual and temporal blessings, Psalms 67:6,7. Unto us, thy people of Israel. As thou hast hid thy face and favour from us, so now do thou manifest it to us. For the phrase, Numbers 6:25,26 Psa 31:16. Copyright Statement Bibliography Whedon's Commentary on the Bible1. God be merciful unto us—An invocation, repeated in Psalms 67:6-7, and founded on the form of blessing by the high priest, Numbers 6:23-26 Copyright Statement Bibliography George Haydock's Catholic Bible CommentaryHimself. This is the most difficult of all the psalms, (Calmet) crux ingeniorum. (Muis) --- The prodigies wrought by God in favour of his people, when they came out of Egypt, and conquered the land of Chanaan, are described by David in this triumphal canticle, which was sung when the ark was removed. (Houbigant) --- He had also in view the greater prodigies, which should attend Jesus Christ, and the propagation of the gospel. The latter explanation is also literal, (Berthier) and is given by the Fathers, (Calmet) on the authority of St. Paul, ver. 19., and Ephesians iv. 8. (Haydock) Copyright Statement Bibliography E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible NotesTitle. Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. App-65. Song. Hebrew. shir. App-65. Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, add "of David". God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4. merciful = favourable, or gracious. Selah. Connecting the prayer (Psalms 67:1) with the object of it (Psalms 67:2). See App-66. Copyright Statement Bibliography Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - UnabridgedGod be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. Psalms 67:1-7.-Prayer for God's mercy upon God's people, that so His way may be known to all nations; also that His righteous reign may come upon earth to the joy of the nations (Psalms 67:1-4); as the result of the praises of all peoples, the earth shall yield her increase, and God shall bless us (Psalms 67:5-7). 'Elohiym (Hebrew #430) is used throughout, as appropriate to the recognition of the God of the whole earth by all. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us - literally, 'with us;' implying His presence with us as our source of blessedness. The allusion is to the Mosaic blessing, Numbers 6:24-26 (cf. Psalms 4:6; Psalms 31:16). Accordingly the Psalmist here speaks of God, and not until the 2nd verse speaks to God. Compare also the manifold blessing, Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Copyright Statement Bibliography Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(1) This verse is an adaptation of the priestly benediction (Numbers 6:24-26). Upon us.—Rather, with, or among us; a variation from the formal benediction. Copyright Statement Bibliography Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeGod be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
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